During the summer I try to grow tomatoes in my yard. Sometimes they end up just being deer and chipmunk food, so then I just buy them at the Farmer’s markets. Either way I always have a ton of them around this time of year. However you get your hands on these little jewels of summer, here’s a quick, no cook, way to enjoy them.
Here is all you need:
- Fresh Mozzarella cheese in any form – burrata, bucatini, or a hunk you want to cube up. Any form will work really as long as it’s fresh.
- Fresh basil – optional if you don’t care for this herb. Try parsley or tarragon too if you’d prefer.
- Olive Oil – here is where I use the good stuff since it’s not going to be heated, but use whatever you have on hand.
- Balsamic vinegar – this is optional but I use my good stuff here too if you chose to include it. It give things a nice zip. Try a splash red wine vinegar if you like that instead.
- Farm fresh tomatoes – Any form here will do too. I used cherry tomatoes from my garden, and I cut up a few smaller slicing tomatoes in my dish below. You can quarter some larger tomatoes if that’s what you have hanging out on your counter.
- Salt/Pepper to taste
Chiffonade (that’s slice up thin to us non-chef people) your herbs if using and put them in a small mixing bowl. Slice up your tomatoes. I usually cut them so they will easily fit on a fork, and therefor in my mouth. 🙂 Mix together some balsamic vinegar (if using) with some olive oil in the bowl with the herbs. The ratio of oil to vinegar is entirely up to your preference. I like about 1-to-1 as seen here, but if you are new to balsamic try starting with a ratio closer to 2-1 oil to vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste., and whisk that all up.
Put the tomatoes in a serving bowl with some salt and pepper. Not too much because there is salt in the dressing. Taste as you go for seasoning. Add a drizzle of the dressing over the tomatoes. Stir that around. a bit. If you are using a chunk of mozzarella, cube it up to about the same size as the tomatoes, and add the cheese to the serving bowl. I leave them on top of the tomatoes until I am ready to serve it. I like the bright white cheese in there and the vinegar will start to turn it dark. Sprinkle with more herbs, salt/pepper, and as much dressing as you like. This mixture is good alone, or as a topping to some grilled bread spread with a little garlic. YUM! Enjoy this one while you can! 🙂
Amy’s Kitchen 